All the stuff I didn't blog...

With all the getting settled, going to Florida (three times in five weeks!), and chasing a very active 4-year-old around, I haven't gotten around to blogging about some things.  So here we go...

At the end of June, Amelia and I went to Florida to visit my parents (this was just a week before my mom got sick with meningitis).  One afternoon my mom and I took Amelia to see Brave, and we all enjoyed it.

My dad had set up a tire swing for Amelia, and she loved it.  And my parents also gave her a bug-catching kit that she also enjoyed.  You can see both in this photo.

While we were in Florida, my parents kept Amelia so I could help out with The Walk, North Point Ministries' high school event at the beach. (The lady who took my place when I moved could stay with the girls only the first two nights because of a schedule conflict, so I tag-teamed and stayed the last two nights.) Here I am with some of the girls on the elevator at our resort.

These girls have matured (in a good way) so much in just a year. I'm a bit sad I'm not their group leader anymore. :-(

And here I am with my co-leader, Jen.  She is just nineteen, but she has a lot of wisdom and life experience for a teenager. We really clicked as co-leaders.  I've really enjoyed getting to know her and have enjoyed leading the girls with her this past year.

Back in Baton Rouge...on July 4th, we went with our friends Rebecca and Damian to see the fireworks on the Mississippi.  Amelia was excited!

A couple of weeks ago, Amelia and I met our friends Kaye and Connor for a fun morning at the science museum/planetarium.  I wasn't sure how Amelia would like it, but she had a great time!

One day I got brave (or stupid) and took Amelia to Chuck E. Cheese.  (Actually, it wasn't too bad. We went on a weekday afternoon.)

Anytime I take Amelia to campus with me, we have to see Mike the Tiger. (Obviously, this isn't the REAL tiger.)

Here's the real tiger.  He is napping in the shade every time we see him.  I think Mike the Tiger is resting up because he knows the football season could be a long one, given recent events.

(While Mike has a super-nice habitat, I'm sad that he doesn't share it with a tiger friend.)





Here's my friend Martha. She met us for donuts and coffee one morning. Amelia took this pic, but I like it because it is "true Martha."

This past weekend, the three of us went to Amelia's school for a little popsicle party/teacher meet-and-greet.  I can't believe this girl is ready for Pre-K.

And I think that brings us up to speed!

Office Space: Men vs. Women

When my new teaching gig became "official," one of my first concerns was getting my office in order.

(First, you should know that by "office," I mean a windowless shoebox.)

(But that is okay with me, because A) I have worked here before and knew ahead of time what the offices look like, and B) I don't enjoy teaching because of the office space.)

ANYWAY...

There is a whole back story on the office situation.  The brief version? I was assigned an office, but the current inhabitant had not (and still has not) vacated it, so I was moved to another office.  The whole point of this tidbit of info is that I was eager to set up shop, but was delayed, and delayed, and delayed.

Through the wait, I (perhaps too much) voiced my frustration to Darryl, and he just. didn't. get. it.

Darryl: Isn't an office the last of your priorities?

Amy: No! I have to have a good space to work! And if it is a gross color, like Pepto-pink, I might have to paint it.

Darryl: WHAT? Paint it?? If you have a desk and a computer, what more do you need?

And so on.

And here is yet another area where men and women are different.

Allow me to show you Darryl's office decor (forgive the poor lighting):

A panoramic Doak Campbell stadium poster above the white board (containing computer stuff I don't understand):

The Jackass calendar I give him for Christmas every year (an ongoing joke):

A drawing of Chief Osceola (in a cracked frame, nonetheless) and a photo calendar of Amelia:

And that is it.  That's the office where the magic happens.

FINALLY, I got a key to my office, and there was much work to do.  Here are the "before" shots.

And here are the "after" shots:

From the door:

I like the London/Big Ben canvas because it reminds me of our 10th Anniversary Trip to London (although truth be told...I picked up that canvas at Hobby Lobby a couple of years ago), and The Great Gatsby is perhaps my favorite novel (it is in the top three, at least).

The spare desk (first, the board over this desk is more centered -- and level -- than it appears in this photo, and second, I tried to get this desk moved to no avail, but I think I like it there because it will be a good space for students who have to make up work.)

And my desk corner (there will be a computer on that desk by Monday...I hope):

The ugly bookcase remains, but I'm just going to label it "vintage industrial."

Also vintage? This phone.

Hello? 1982 called. It would like its phone back.

(I removed that lovely woven placemat under it.)

I've very happy with how the office turned out.  (And fortunately, it was a pale gray as opposed to Pepto-pink, so I didn't have to do any painting.)


On an unrelated note...I promise my mother that I will (finally) post some Amelia photos tomorrow. :-)

My Own Olympics Wrap-Up (Before it is Over)

Now that gymnastics is over, swimming is done, and Lolo Jones has jumped her hurdles...I'm pretty much done with the Olympics.  I'm more of a first-half-of-the-Olympics kind of gal.

Here are some moments I particularly loved:

1--Kate Middleton, anytime, anywhere.  However, my favorite moment was possibly during a men's event final, when she was sitting next to a male British gymnast and was talking to him about what they were watching. (I'm assuming that's what they were talking about.  For all I know, they could have been talking about the Kristen Stewart-Robert Pattison breakup.) Anyway, it was apparent he was giddy but trying to keep it cool for the Duchess.

2--The moment when runner Kirani James hugged Oscar Pistorius and wanted to switch bibs with him after their 400-meter race.  Later in an interview, Pistorius mentioned how much that gesture meant to him. (And really...watching Pistorius run literally gave me goosebumps. So inspiring.) (If you have no idea what I'm talking about, you need to get on The Google.)

3--The Fab 5 cheering on their competing team members at event finals. I want to believe they are all friends.

4--Gabby Douglass winning the All-Around.  You go, girl!  (Also...I don't get the complaints about her hair. Have you ever watched a gymnast compete and think, "Oh, I love her hair"? No...because they are all wearing the ponytail held in place by Goody clips.)

5--Swimmer Missy Franklin dwarfing Bob Costas during their (hilarious) interview.  I love her and want to teach her. Think we can get her to Louisiana??? (I cannot find a photo of them together, but trust me...I laughed and laughed!)

5--The many faces of Debbie Phelps.  Oh, how I will miss her.

(A week or so ago, my friend Tim said, "I think Debbie likes to shop at the Chico's." Oh my word, I laugh every time I think about that.)

(No offense to anyone who wears Chico's.)


AND...that's about it on these Olympic games. Unless I have some thoughts about the Closing Ceremonies, and I just might.

I can't wait for two more years when I can put everything on hold to watch the Winter Olympics. I tend to have a lot of thoughts about figure skating...


(Edited to add that Oscar Pistorius is running one more time tonight as part of South Africa's relay team.  If you haven't seen him compete, you MUST. Set your DVR. If it doesn't inspire you, you have no soul. That's all.)

You Might Need to Direct Me to This Post 6 Months From Now

I'm ready for a routine.

I'm ready for school to start.

I'm ready to put on "grown-up clothes" complete with "grown-up shoes" and get in my car and drive to work.

I'm ready for Amelia to go to school so she can learn and play and tell me all about it when I pick her up.

I'm ready to go to bed at a decent hour and get up at the same time each morning. (Granted, nothing is preventing me from doing that now, but...)

I'm ready for weekends to feel like weekends.

That being said...I really have enjoyed the past year that I have spent being a stay-at-home mom. Originally, that wasn't my plan when I left high school teaching; my plan was to find a job with a more manageable workload so that I could work but be "done" at the end of the day.  That wasn't in the cards, apparently, and maybe that's a good thing.  I feel like Amelia and I have had oodles of quality time.  And I've enjoyed it.  I've definitely been less stressed.

My hat goes off to stay-at-home moms.  It is more exhausting than people realize. Rewarding, yes, but exhausting nonetheless.

As I've been preparing for my new job, I'm getting more excited. I know this job will have its challenges (and I'm already dealing with some, but I haven't decided just how much I should share about that or if I should share anything about it at all), but it just seems very doable at this point. Who knows? Maybe I'm greatly underestimating the work load, or maybe I'm having amnesia about what it was like to do this job before, but as I'm getting all my stuff together, I'm thinking yes...I can do this!

A List of Things on My Mind -- End-of-Summer Edition

1. I was extremely happy to say farewell to July 2012, which will go down in my personal history as a month I didn't care for very much at all. My mom's ongoing battle with relentless viral meningitis is one big strike against July. In addition, several of my friends have been hit with some hard times this month as well.  So there, July 2012. I'm glad to see you go.

2. Words cannot express the "OVER IT-ness" I feel about the Chick-fil-a war. All I have to say is this: I was struck by the juxtaposition of watching competing athletes from different countries congratulate each other's victories as I was reading (and often rolling my eyes at) the venomous comments spewed from both sides on FB about Chick-fil-a. That's all.

3. I am obsessed with the Olympics. OBSESSED. (Also, I might be in the minority, but I far prefer watching swimming to watching track and field events, so I'm a bit sad swimming is over.)

4. Like him or not, Michael Phelps is remarkable.  Well done, Michael Phelps.

5. I love Missy Franklin and Gabby Douglas. I wish I could find a photo of them side by side...because they would look like Mutt and Jeff.

6. My last three (four?) points are about the Olympics.  See? I told you I was obsessed.

7. It seems so early for people to be going back to school.  I still have two more weeks. Woot!

8. Darryl and I had a date night with our friends Damian and Rebecca the other night. It was nice to have a meal where I didn't have to take someone to the potty right as my food arrived. (Amelia has a knack for that kind of timing.)

The end.

Thursday Morning Update: My Mom is Home!

Yesterday the doctor surprised us all by discharging my mom from the hospital!

For several days, the doctors and nurses had talked about the possibility of having my mom go to a rehab center for a short period of time to get her strength and mobility back to normal, so that was what we were expecting to happen.  My mom even had me go on a shopping errand yesterday to get a few "rehab outfits."

However, when her doctor came to see her, he had her walk some around the room, told her that her labs looked great.  She was no longer hooked to any kind of IV and was taking everything by mouth.  So...he said she could work on getting her strength back at home.

We are really, really hoping that she is able to STAY home this time.  Please continue to keep her in your good thoughts/prayers!

Monday Evening Mom Update

I drove in this afternoon and surprised my mom with a visit. I called my dad yesterday to tell him I wanted to come for a few days, and we decided to keep it a surprise...and she definitely was surprised!

As for what is going on with her...the doctors still don't know for sure and probably won't until they get her labs back.  A neurologist saw her yesterday and ordered another CAT scan and spinal tap (both of which have already been done) because he was concerned there was some kind of pressure around her spine, causing her legs to be as weak as they are.  Her liver is also a bit swollen and some of those levels are a little elevated, but one possibility for that is all the medicine she has been taking over the past twenty days.

HOWEVER...this afternoon a physical therapist worked with her to help her get around more and build up her strength, and my mom was able to walk down the hallway (assisted, of course), and she sat in a chair for a few hours.  This is the most she has been up and about, and while it wore her out ultimately, she did say it helped her feel better.  We're hoping to continue that kind of "exercise" so she can do more and more.

Her hospital meal looked terrible tonight, and I offered to get her some Mexican food...so we had a fiesta picnic instead of standard hospital fare. Woohoo!!

(A running joke with her meals at the hospital is apparently somewhere it says she can't chew her food well, so all her food comes to her chopped in tiny pieces.  We've mentioned several times that she has all her teeth and can actually chew her food, and the next meal might be "normal," but sure enough, she'll eventually get the chopped up food again.  I wish I had taken a photo of her chicken and rice tonight. It might be the grossest thing I've ever seen on a plate.)

And for our after-dinner entertainment, Darryl called us on FaceTime and Amelia danced to Taio Cruz's "Dynamite" -- I mean a full-on routine.  It was hilarious!

So it was a good afternoon.  Please continue to keep her in your prayers, and let's hope today marked the beginning of some steady improvement!

(Also, forgive any typos.  I know better.  I'm just tired.)

Saturday Morning Mom Update

Just cutting right to the chase...

My mom is being tested for West Nile, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Lyme Disease, and several other similar insect/parasite-related illnesses; HOWEVER, it will be 5-7 days before we know the results because the labs have to be sent to California.

(Can I pause for a minute and say how ridiculous that is? Seriously? Please tell me there is a good explanation for a 5- to 7-day turnaround on lab results.)

So...the doctors now are just focusing, as they have been, on treating her symptoms.  Right now, her main complaint is a horrible headache that she has pretty much had for 2-1/2 weeks.  She told me if they could find something that would successfully diminish that pain, she thinks she would feel a hundred times better.

There's no reason to suspect that my mom won't recover from this; it just seems to be taking a long time, and right now, we aren't even sure what she has. (And have I already mentioned that it will be 5-7 days before we know???)

Still keep my mom in your good thoughts in prayers. We really do appreciate them!

Mom Update: Friday Morning

So it appears that some family and friends are consulting this blog for information about my mom, so I'm going to try to update it when I know something new.

When my mom went to the hospital yesterday, her kidney doctor saw her and felt she should be seen by a neurologist.  (My mom was diagnosed with kidney disease two years ago but has done very well with maintaining her kidneys' function since her diagnosis.  My mom LOVES her kidney doctor, and after I met her last week, I love her too.  She's the perfect blend of seriousness, intelligence, humor, and compassion.)

Anyway, a neurologist hasn't seen her yet, BUT they did a CAT scan on my mom yesterday and the doctor she was seeing during her hospital stay last week is working with her again, and he is consulting with an infectious disease specialist.  Based on questions they've asked my mom, it seems they are trying to rule out Lyme Disease. (My mom doesn't think she has been bitten by a tick, though, and she doesn't have any kind of rash.)

So, basically...we still don't know what is going on.  Her sodium was low, as suspected, but apparently the doctors think something else is going on.

(As of right now, I'm hanging tight in Baton Rouge, even though it is really hard not to be there.  I am trying to get things squared away here, however, just in case I need to return to Florida.  Whatever information the doctors have today will probably determine what I will do.)

Thanks again for your thoughts and prayers!

Where do I even begin???

Last Tuesday, I had just gone to the gym (yep...go me!) and was getting ready for the day when my dad called to say that she was being rushed to the hospital by ambulance because her doctor said her "body was about to go into shock."

My mom had been fighting a yucky illness for over a week -- high fever (104-plus at times), weakness, and soreness in her neck and back.  Because it was the week of the 4th and their regular doctor was on vacation, my dad took her to two different ERs trying to get a diagnosis, relief, something.  Both times, she was told she just had a bad virus, and based on her blood work, they didn't see the need to do a spinal tap to confirm a meningitis diagnosis because nothing in her blood work suggested that she had an infection like that.

So when my dad was able to take her to her usual doctor, he sent her to the hospital right away to be admitted.

Darryl was literally at the gate of the Baton Rouge airport, about to go on a trip for four days.  I called him, and within an hour, the three of us were packed and in the car, headed to Florida.

On the way there, my dad would call to update us.  This hospital (a different one from the ones they had been to) did a spinal tap right away and diagnosed her with viral meningitis.  (While any kind of meningitis is serious, the viral form is the less severe of the two.)

From that point on, my mom's health seemed to be a roller coaster.  I would leave the hospital in the evening feeling that she was truly getting better, then the next day she would seem worse.  At first, all the fluids they gave her through IV seemed to energize her a little, but then her body wasn't getting rid of the fluid quickly enough, so she had to be put on some strong diuretics to get rid of the fluid. Then her sodium was too low and she had to take a pill for that.

(I also must pause here to say a HUGE "thank you" to Darryl's sister, Ashley, and our sister-in-law, Daphne, for helping us so much with Amelia. Daphne met us at the hospital to get Amelia to take her to Ashley's house...we wanted Amelia as far away from all this as possible.)

We left on Saturday, after she seemed to be getting steadily better for about two days, and the hospital released her on Sunday.  However, since then, the roller coaster has continued. Good days, bad days...and so it goes.

I was waiting to blog about this when things really seemed to be on the "up and up," but my dad called today to say she is going back the hospital.  She is getting progressively weaker, and the theory is that her sodium might be dipping again and she needs to be where she can be monitored and cared for.  Right now, my plan is to stay put if it truly is just a matter of getting her body chemistry "balanced."  Please continue to send prayers and/or good thoughts her way because she is OVER this. Way over it.

I hope my next update is a positive one!

Lemon Icebox Pie!

I've had a busy past couple of weeks that included a trip to Florida, a few days spent with my former sophomore girls' small group from my "old" church, a busy 4th of July...and typically, this is when I don't blog for a while because I get overwhelmed by all the photos and such.  So instead, I'm sharing a recipe. :-)

About a month ago, our friends Damian and Rebecca invited us for dinner and I offered to bring dessert.

(I love to make desserts, y'all.)

(And I love to eat them.)

Damian asked if I could make a lemon icebox pie.  Truth be told, I'd never made one, but I'm not one to turn down a baking request.  I remembered that my friend Tim had posted an article about icebox pies from Serious Eats on Facebook, and one of the pie recipes listed was one for lemon icebox pie. So I made it.  And it was awesome. And you should add it RIGHT NOW to your dessert rotation.  (Unless you don't like lemon icebox pie.  And then I might think you are KRAZY.)

Here is the link to the recipe, which also includes a photo.  (I have poor, poor food photography skills, and none of my creations look the least bit appetizing when I photograph them.)

ALSO...I love my lemon icebox pie with whipped cream.  And while I'm not too good to eat some Redi-Whip out of the can, I also love some homemade whipped cream (and it is so easy!).  I take a cup of heavy whipping cream, about 1-1/2 TBSP of sugar, and beat it with a whisk on the highest setting of my electric mixer until it looks like, well, whipped cream.  (Also...I think the recipe for whipped cream is somewhat known, but I got those exact measurements from The Pioneer Woman.)

I see no reason why you can't spread that whipped cream all over the top of the pie, but because I love whipped cream and Darryl does not (what is wrong with that man?), I just serve a big ole spoonful of it on the side.

Perfection.

You know you are living in Louisiana when...

...your child makes a red beans and rice magnet at her day camp. :-)

...it is so hot and humid outside that you cave and buy your daughter a ridiculous water slide so she can at least enjoy the outdoors. (The girl LOVES to be outside.)

...you drive an hour to have the chargrilled oysters at Drago's. (I hate oysters, but Darryl loves them and claims these oysters have changed his life.)

...you feel compelled to watch the Miss Louisiana pageant (while also watching the Miss Georgia pageant, I might add).

...your daughter goes to breakfast with her daddy and tells him that she wants beignets.  (And she did in fact get beignets.  Along with this ridiculous chocolate milk.  Sugar for breakfast, anyone?)

Just Some Ramblin'

1. I was a terrible daughter and wife and didn't give a shout out to my husband or dad on Father's Day for being the amazing fathers they are.  Well, they are amazing...even if I am saying so several days late. :-/

2. I'm thrilled to report that Amelia has made friends with two girls next door.  When we lived in Georgia, our neighborhood wasn't really full of kids, but we were fortunate to have a girl Amelia's age who lived next door and they played together a good bit.  The two girls next door have been over some this week and Amelia has had a blast playing with them.

3. I'm a bit frustrated with the weight loss thing. I gained back a little over a pound this past week, probably because I was BAD over the weekend. (Reese's Pieces, pound cake with ice cream, fried shrimp...) Ugh. I've been working out like a madwoman these past couple of weeks, so I'm hoping the scale will go the right way soon.

4.  The other day I sat down to watch Oprah's Next Chapter. Before I knew it, I had watched four episodes. I like it. (Also? Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka are living in my dream house. I have saved the episode on my DVR so I can drool over it time and time again. And you never know...if I come into some wealth, I will play the episode for a contractor/architect and say, "Build THAT!")

5.  I have nothing else. I'm finding this to be a week when I have things I want to do but no real motivation to do them. Alas.

Some Favorite Things

I might not be Oprah, but does that mean I shouldn't share a few of my favorite things?  (But since I'm not Oprah, I do not have the budget to send you a gift basket of all these items.)

These are just some little things that just make me happy.

1. Mrs. Meyer's Countertop Spray. Rarely do I get excited about a cleaning product (I like cleanliness but never cared much about the products themselves), but I absolutely love this spray.  I especially love the Lemon Verbena scent for the kitchen and the lavender scent for the bathrooms. (By the way, am I the only person who wants to spell it L-A-V-E-N-D-A-R?)

2. Ritz Fresh Stacks.  If you think this is a ridiculous marketing ploy, think again, my friends.  Unless you are on a complete cracker binge, you are probably not going to blitz through a stack of Ritz.  (In all honesty, I could eat a stack a Ritz and with some cheese on top. Or plain. And I have been known to consume my fair share of "squirt-on cheese" back in the day. Don't judge.)  Anyway...if you are just eating a few here and there, you are guaranteed fresh crackers every. single. time. I hate a stale cracker.

3. Tervis Tumblers.  I love a Tervis Tumbler. They are insulated, so they keep your drink hot or cold, and they don't sweat, so you don't have to worry about a coaster.  It is my go-to "glass" and I drink out of it at home and take it with me on the road. (Since I've been trying to lose a little weight, I take one full of water with me when I get in the car.)

4. Anthropologie Coffee Mugs. I am not a big Anthropologie person as far as the clothes go (not my style at all), but I do like their some of their kitchen items, especially their coffee mugs.  This one was given to me as a gift, and I lurve it.

5. Cast-iron skillet. I have had a cast-iron skillet for a while, but because of the porcelain surface of our stove back in Georgia, I never got to use it, so I packed it up when we thought we were moving a couple of years ago. :-)  I found it when we really did move a month and a half ago, and I probably use it two or three times a week.  I think it cooks more evenly, and maybe food just tastes a little better when it is prepared in it. (Maybe?)

If only I could now say, "You get a skillet! And you get a skillet! EVERYBODY IS GETTING A SKILLEEEEEEETTTTTTTTTTTT!"

Monday Morning Catch-Up

You know what's been going on around here?

Not much.

Life is good, but not much...

(Darryl just sneezed a la the Will Ferrell sneeze below, and I just gave him "the look." SO LOUD.)

...is going on.

Here are just some bits of randomness:

--I enjoyed watching the Tonys last night.  It is by far my favorite awards show, primarily because of the host (I've loved Neil Patrick Harris since Doogie, y'all) and the performances.

--LSU's baseball season is over. Alas.

--FSU is still going strong, so at least Darryl is happy.

--We went bowling this past weekend and Amelia beat both Darryl and me. Granted, she had bumpers, but still.  We should be able to beat a four-year-old whose ball rolls at the speed of .555 miles an hour.

--We tried our first church yesterday. I won't mention which one it was, but let's just say it was NOT for us. The search continues.

--The Mad Men finale was kind of meh, in my opinion. (I'm not sure that anyone who reads this cares, but I just wanted to make my opinion known.)

--I have officially lost 5 pounds!  Woot!

--I was going to walk this morning, but walked outside (at 6:30!) and the air felt like a hot, wet blanket (at 6:30!)...so I went to get donuts instead. (However, I did NOT get myself a donut. Such will power.  I think that's why I'm borderline disgruntled this morning.)

TV Talk: Finales, Sneezes, and Mad Men

I haven't posted much about TV in a while (probably because I don't watch nearly as much as I used to), but I have some thoughts on things. Warning: There are spoilers below, so if you are like me and leave shows sitting on your DVR for a sweet forever, you might not want to keep reading.

1. A couple of weeks ago, Darryl and I happened to catch some of Will Ferrell's hosting turn on SNL.  When this commercial spoof came on, we LAUGHED because people, this is our life. (Sorry for the poor video quality -- it was the best I could find on YouTube.)



Darryl and I have flat-out ARGUED VERY LOUDLY about his sneezing. It is loud, boisterous, and makes me jump every time I hear it. When she says, "You sound like a lunatic"... and "why can't you sneeze like a normal person?"...well, I'll just say that maybe I've said those EXACT WORDS.

(I'm feeling ALL CAPS-ish today.)

2. I have yet another bone to pick with Grey's Anatomy. Yes, I broke up with Grey's for a while, but then I got sucked in by the rumor that a major character was going to die. Poor Lexie Grey. Anyway, I'm annoyed that creator and head honcho Shonda Rimes believes that tragedy equals good TV. Because it doesn't.  At one point in the finale, Cristina lists all the things that have happened to her at Seattle Grace -- having a gun held to her head, being held hostage by a crazed shooter, having a friend get hit by a bus, etc. -- and says she can't wait to leave. Amen, sister.

3.  I liked the Modern Family finale. I didn't see the twist at the end coming, so bravo to them!

4.  This season's Dancing with the Stars was the best yet.  There were about five really strong contenders, and the final three deserved to be in the final three.  And really, our country should just be grateful to DWTS for introducing us to beauty of William Levy.

You are welcome.

5. I'm saving the best point for last. Y'all. Two words: Mad Men. I have been very iffy with the show this season. I read an article this week (can't remember where, or I would give it credit as a good English teacher should) that described this season as feeling like a collection of satisfying short stories. It has felt a little disjointed to me, with some thematic threads weaving through it and a couple of ongoing stories with a couple of the characters, but it just didn't seem to gel in my opinion.

HOWEVER, this past week's Mad Men reminded me of why I love the show. I know I sound cheesy, but it was sheer brilliance.  Much has been written about the episode so it would be easy to Google, but there is a sequence that juxtaposes two very different but also profoundly similar situations (beautiful Joan prostituting herself -- literally-- to supposedly save the agency, and Don giving a presentation about Jaguar centered on the ability to "own" beauty) that delighted me while sending chills down my spine. (How low can you go, SCDP?) (Also, I love me some good juxtaposition. That is/was one of my favorite literary techniques to teach.)  And the ending scene with Don and Peggy, when the protege says goodbye to her mentor? Perfection. PERFECTION.

ANYWAY...That's it.

Life in the Red Stick

I haven't really updated much on how things are going here. We've been in Baton Rouge a month, so here is just a mish-mash of stuff related to life in Baton Rouge:

1. I mentioned a couple of posts ago that I feel as though we are in a bit of a time warp.  When we lived here before, we had friends who had just had babies.  My friend Martha's kids were in high school. Now those babies who were not even a year old are entering the 5th grade, and Martha's youngest "kid" just graduated with his Master's degree and has a paying job.  Yet, some of the roads, businesses, and buildings look exactly the same as they did ten years ago.  It's a weird feeling.

2. We are enjoying having friends over more often because Baton Rouge isn't as spread out as Atlanta. (That was really my number-one complaint about Atlanta.)  Our closest friends can get here in ten minutes.

3.  I had forgotten how HOT it is here. It's HOT. Did I mention that it is HOT???

4.  I can't remember if I mentioned this before or not, but my job is now "official." I'm very grateful for that fact.  (The "unofficial-ness" may need to be explained in another blog post.)

5.  Darryl's working from home has been an adjustment.  Not a bad one, but it definitely is one.

6.  We really like the house we are renting. It is amazing how much easier it is to keep a house neat when there is room for everything. (Well, almost everything.  We still have a sleeper couch in our garage.) I especially like the openness of it.

7.  I do miss Publix. That hasn't changed.

8.  I also miss my friends, but can I tell you how awesome Facebook and text messaging are? Seriously.  No, it isn't the same as seeing people face to face, but it is nice to feel in touch with everyone, you know?

9.  Amelia is doing well. She has some activities lined up this summer to get her involved with some kids her age, and she seems to enjoy that.  I'm hoping that now that school is out, we'll see more of the neighborhood kids out and about.

10.  I feel like I need a 10. Oh wait...Tim wants me to find and become BFFs with this local celebrity athlete. I'll do what I can, Tim.  I'll do what I can.

Amelia in Action

For the first time in at least six weeks, I connected my "good" camera to the computer to get my photos (I have been taking most of my photos with the iPhone lately), and I found these that cracked me up. They were taken about mid-April when we were still in Atlanta.

Amelia LOVES to put on her princess dresses...with her blue-flowered rainboots. And she loves to wear her rainboots when it isn't raining. She decided to make this random stick her magic wand. However, she got a bit carried away with it and wanted to run with it, so...

I took it away from her and she was not happy. (Yes, I totally photographed my child while she was pouting.)

ANYWAY...

Amelia was home with me for the past few weeks.  After the first week, I decided we needed an activity, so I signed her up for swim lessons. I figured she could use a refresher course since it had been at least six months since she had been in the pool. Last Thursday was the day parents could see all the kids had learned.

Here she is, ready for action. (If she becomes an Olympic swimmer, this will be in People magazine one day.)

And here she is, getting her freestyle on. (She is actually best at backstroke, but I didn't get a good photo of that, alas.)

And here she is, satisfied after a good effort.

It has been so hot here and Amelia really enjoys playing in the water and being outside, so we got this over the weekend.

Not only does Amelia enjoy it, but her mom also enjoys it because she can sit in the shade and read a magazine while Amelia WEARS HERSELF OUT.

And you know what parents call something that wears out their kids? MONEY WELL SPENT.

A List: A little bit of this and that

1. Last night I watched the last 20 minutes of American Idol (Go Phillip Phillips!), the last 20 minutes of Glee, and the last 20 minutes of Dancing with the Stars. I have realized that is pretty much all you need to watch to get the gist of the season.
2. To be honest, I have watched DWTS all season. But Oh. My. Word. That show knows how to drag out a finale.
3. I am on Day 3 of doing Weight Watchers online. I thought about not mentioning it on here because, for Pete's sake, I've blogged about my losing weight efforts approximately 582 times. But I'm at "that point" right now, meaning I have one pair of shorts that fits.
4. Amelia and I have rented Barbie's Mermaid Tale three times from Redbox. Darryl thinks we should just buy it, but I don't know that I want it in our permanent collection.
5. I am taking an online scrapbooking class by Ali Edwards called 31 Things. The focus is on writing about a certain topic/aspect of our lives every day for 31 days. (So technically, you don't have to be a "scrapbooker" for this class. If you know how to type and can take a photo, you're good.) I'm enjoying it so far; it is definitely helping get my writing mojo going a little.
6. I am currently reading Mindy Kaling's Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? and I. Love. It. (I am too lazy to post a photo. Google it.)
7. We're adjusting to life in Baton Rouge and are enjoying being back. I feel a little like we're in a time warp, but I'll go into that a bit later. Another post for another time.
8. Also? I miss Publix.

Mother's Day...and Motherhood Thoughts

I realize it is Thursday and Mother's Day was four days ago.

I'm really on top of things.

I had a really good Mother's Day.  Darryl and Amelia gifted me with a gift card to a spa.  Woot!

And, of course, that morning, we called our wonderful Mama/Nana to wish her a Happy Mother's Day!

Our friend Rebecca invited us to her parents' house "out in the country" for their Mother's Day cookout.  While that may sound awkward -- going to a friend's extended family's gathering -- it actually wasn't because we had met and been around much of Rebecca's family before for other things.

The weather was perfect, and Amelia even got to ride a horse for the first time.

For the record, I'm not a horse person.  I don't mind looking at them from afar, but they scare me a little.  I won't tell Amelia that, though. :-)

Amelia also found this gear in the playroom.  I think she'll adjust to living in Louisiana just fine.

When we got home, I took a power nap while Amelia and Darryl went to Lowe's, and that evening, we had La Madeleine's for dinner (my choice, obviously).

And I have no good transition here, but just know that the following relates to motherhood:

So, back in Georgia, there is a tragic story that has gotten a lot of attention from the media about a grad student who rode a homemade zip line, fell, and cut her leg.  The injury itself required stitches, but otherwise was no big deal until it was discovered that the girl was suffering from flesh-eating bacteria.  Now, she has had her leg amputated (with future amputations a probability) and is continuing to fight for her life.

My friend Blayne and I were discussing this story last week, and I said, "Well, I guess I'll add 'Do not ride any homemade zip lines' to the list of things I want to be sure to tell Amelia."  (To be clear, I'm not making light of this story at all.  I'm just thinking that this girl's situation must be a living hell not only for her, but also for her parents.)  As soon as I said that to Blayne, I was reminded of something my mother once told me.

When I was in college, I received a letter from my mom.  (This was before everyone had email, y'all.)  After she updated me on news and tidbits of information, she said something along these lines:

"I don't think I ever told you this, and you probably already know it, but you DO know that you aren't supposed to let your hair dryer fall in a sink full of water, don't you?  You can get electrocuted that way."

My mom and I still laugh about that story from time to time, but I think as mothers (and I'm sure fathers feel the same way), we feel this overwhelming burden to keep our kids as safe as possible...but we realize we can only control so much.

There is no way to warn our kids about -- much less protect them from -- every hazard in the world.  And that is scary to think about.

What is the fine line between warning our kids about dangers, but also encouraging them to "seize the day"?  (Seriously...if all my friends were riding the zip line, I probably would have too.)

I let my daughter ride a horse while trying not to think about all the stories I've heard of people getting kicked in the head by horses or falling off horses.

And something tells me this motherhood thing isn't going to get any easier. :-)

But I love it, with all its fears, insecurities, and "am I doing the right thing."

And for the record, I did know that I should not let my hair dryer fall in a sink full of water.